Jacobsburg State Park is a great place to go when you just want to get out and enjoy some fresh air. Took my Canon with me today and got some nice photos on the Hazard Trail.
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Read MoreWent back to the DWG again today. I like the NJ side of the Gap. The trails all connect and you can piece together different hikes depending on how long or short you want. We started at the Fairview Trail just off Old Mine Road. From here we hiked to the intersection with the AT and the Holly Springs connector. We took the connector down to Dunnfiled Creek, then back up the hillside to Sunfish Pond. From there we picked up the Appalachian Trail and followed it back to Fairview. It was about an 8 mile loop. I enjoyed hiking along Dunnfiled Creek. The terrain was more interesting as was the scenery with the tall Hemlock trees and Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel. We rock hopped across the creek several times and there were a few little rock scrambles along the way. After you pass the backpacker’s camp at the junction for the Douglas Trail and the AT, the trail gets super rocky. Not the fun scramble rocks, but the ones that jut out and trip you. With the leaf debris it’s hard to tell where you’re stepping. Overall, it was a nice day, sun was out and the cooler temperature made for good hiking weather.
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Read MoreToday we hiked up the Copper Mine Trail on the New Jersey side of the Delaware Water Gap. From there we got on the Appalachian Trail and followed it out to Raccoon Ridge. Nice view point from the ridge. Came back down the Kaiser trail to close out the loop at about 8.5 miles.
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Read MorePennsylvania had its first dusting of snow. We headed out to the Delaware Water Gap to Blue Mountain Lake. Took the look to Hemlock Pond. Just a short one today. About 5 miles. Everything looks so beautiful dusted with snow.
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Read MoreAnother day in the Delaware Water Gap. We hiked from Garvey Springs up to Sunfish Pond. Perfect weather and lots of rock hopping along Sunfish pond. Took the AT to the Douglas Trail to close the loop. Nice day and not too many people out and about on the trails.
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Read MorePerfect weather today. Took a short walk around Nescopeck State Park. A couple of the bridges were out along the Creekside trail. Must have gotten washed away in the last storm. Beautiful day, great weather. Fall color is still holding on.
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Read MoreAfter hiking in the Adirondacks where it was mostly past peak foliage, we were able to catch the some of the colors spreading south through Northeastern Pennsylvania. We hiked the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area from the trailhead at the Pocono Environmental Education Center. We first took the Two Ponds trail to Tumbling Waters falls, then back to the parking area where we picked up the Ridge Trail that looped us through Scenic Gorge. Some fun, easy rock scrambles on this hike and pretty scenery made for a nice, relaxing day.
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Read MoreWe spent another couple of days hiking in the Adirondack Mountains High Peaks Region. Weather was not ideal for high elevation since it’s the beginning of shoulder season when fall starts to turn into winter. Trail conditions are beginning to become a mix of mud, ice and snow so we stayed low and just enjoyed our time exploring the area and scouting out more potential hikes for future trips. Once there’s a good coating of snow on the ground we’ll be back for snowshoeing. Despite the weather, (rain mixed with snow which I honestly don’t mind… better then humidity!), we had an amazing time.
Read MoreAfter yesterday’s long journey to the top of Mt. Marcy, we were ready for an easy day. We decided to hit the trail again, but this time tackle a much shorter peak, Mt. Jo. The trail begins across the street from Adirondack Loj and starts off on a flat, gravel path with interpretive signs for the diverse vegetation. It passes by Adirondack Loj Nature Museum before becoming a dirt path that begins the ascent. It was a beautiful morning as the light shined through the trees on this crisp, fall day. And while I wasn’t planning for a steep climb, we did have some work to do to get to the top. After a little over a mile of steep climbing, the trail leveled off just before the summit. Another short scramble and a climb up some helpful ladders and we were at the top of Mt. Jo looking over at Mt. Marcy, where we were just yesterday. Down below we could see Heart Lake and the trees were just beginning to show signs of fall color. We chatted with some hikers at the summit before heading back down. People are always so much happier when you meet them on the trail. Once we got back down, we added a little more hiking with a walk around Heart Lake. We stopped a few times to sit and enjoy the views, listen to the sounds of the wilderness and watch people in their canoes paddling across the lake. It’s in these moments when I feel most at peace. I’m always happy in the mountains. It was a great way to end an amazing couple of days in the High Peaks Region of the Adirondacks and I foresee many more trips to come.
Read More“The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth ... the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need -- if only we had the eyes to see.” -- Edward Abbey (American writer and naturalist)
After over a year we were finally back in the mountains. Leaving California with its limitless peaks and vast wilderness and relocating to an area of Northeastern Pennsylvania which lacks high-elevation mountains was a very hard adjustment for me. We decided to drive to upstate New York and hike the High Peaks Region in the Adirondack Mountains. We would set up basecamp in Lake Placid, sleep one night and the next morning hike from Adirondack Loj on the Van Hoevenberg Trail to the top of Mt. Marcy, the highest peak in New York state. The journey would be an arduous climb of over 16 miles, most of which required bouldering, rock scrambling and climbing up large and oftentimes slippery slabs of rock. It had been over a year since I’d done any hiking with much elevation, but I craved the challenge and the rewards that come with reaching the summit after putting in a hard day’s work on the trail.
We arrived at Adirondack Loj at 5:30 am, about an hour before sunrise. We donned our headlamps and headed out on the Van Hoevenberg trail towards Marcy Dam. The trail was mostly easy going for the first two miles. We moved quickly to the first junction, and as we reached the dam the sun was starting to come up. We took a moment to enjoy the views of Mt. Colden, Avalanche Mountain and Wright Peak, but we couldn’t linger knowing we had a lot more miles to cover. We crossed the bridge over Marcy Brook and began to ascend on a moderate grade as we hiked along Phelps Brook. We passed the junction to Phelps Mountain and from here we began a steep climb up the trail which was covered in nothing but boulders. After the first steep pitch, the trail crossed Marcy Brook and briefly leveled off for a short distance as we passed the junction to Indian Falls. At about 5 miles in we began another steep ascent which seemed like endless scrambling and climbing. The terrain was slippery in sections and required a lot of mental concentration and careful foot placement. As we reached the top of the ridge, I began to see hints of blue sky. I knew we were getting closer. Now, the trail eased slightly except for the mud and the obstacle course of wooden planks we had to negotiate, and we began to get our first views of Mt. Marcy. We hiked through thick scrub and scrambled up more barefaced boulders before reaching the Alpine Zone. We were starting to get above the treeline, and I was beginning to feel anxious as the climbing got even harder and steeper. Higher and higher we ascended, scrambling the bare rock and slabs. We followed the cairns and the yellow paint blazes guiding the way straight up. And then, finally, we were there… standing on the summit of Mt. Marcy, the highest peak in New York State at 5,344 feet. It was an amazing feeling! One I haven’t felt since leaving the mountains of California. We took in the views and fueled up on snacks, but the moment could not last because we knew we had miles of strenuous descent before we could finally relax and celebrate. The climb back down the mountain was even more taxing. We were tired both physically and mentally, and the amount of concentration it took to descend the boulders and rocks was even more laborious then it was going up. It was about 6:30 pm when we finally reached the Loj. We were tired, sore and even a little delirious, but it was an incredible day and one which we will not soon forget.
Hiking Mt. Marcy was both a physical and mental challenge. It pushed us to our limits. There comes a point in hikes like these when you know you’re stretching yourself, but you just can’t turn back because you don’t want to waste all the effort you’ve already put in so you just keep pushing. The feeling of reaching a hard earned summit is a feeling that’s difficult to describe. It becomes an addiction. It’s a challenge not everyone will have the privilege of experiencing. It’s a journey that makes you stronger and brings you closer to those who are on that same journey. And although the moment of reaching the summit may be fleeting compared to the hours you put in to get there, it will always be worth it.
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Read MoreNice walk around the Woodland Hills Preserve. This is a really nice place to come for a quick nature fix and some exercise. Lots of Goldenrod blooming right now. The milkweed has gone to seed and we saw many Monarch butterflies on the wing. Beautiful light today as well.
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Read MoreToday we hiked the Dick and Nancy Eales Preserve on Moosic Mountain. It looked quite a bit different then when we were here in the winter when it was covered in snow. We started the hike on the Blueberry Trail passing through stunted pitch pines, oak and blueberry. We then followed the Stonehenge Trail through a large garden of boulders where we connected to the After Five Trail following along large rock slabs. From here we dropped down to check out the O’Connor reservoir and then took Gene’s Trail to the Bruised Ego Trail closing the loop at a little over 8 miles. It was a nice day. The clouds kept the sun from making it too hot and the humidity wasn’t quite as bad as it’s been most of the summer. It was a nice hike with some variety in the terrain and scenery.
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Read MoreSome photos from an August walk around the Nothstein Preserve. I saw so many different types of mushrooms on this hike.
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Read MoreWe went back to Tuscarora State Park today to see if we could figure out how to do the loop from Lake View, Spirit and Crow trails. After some research, it seemed we’d have to take the street a short way and then reconnect with the trail. This time we headed off on the Lake View Trail heading counterclockwise or west. The trail followed along a road and past by some camping areas. The lake was crystal clear and for once, the weather wasn’t super humid. From the Lake View Trail we picked up the Spirit of Tuscarora Trail. I’ve been on this trail a couple of times and it’s a really beautiful trail. It’s very well take care of and ironically, we happened to bump into its creator, Pap. He was out on the trail cutting back the shrubs and making sure the trail was clear. We stopped and chatted with him for a while and he told us he had created this trail over 30 years ago and has been taking care of it ever since. You can easily see it is a well loved trail. It’s also a very unique area. There’s quite a bit of diversity compared to a lot of Pennsylvania trails which tend to all kind of look the same after a while. The terrain is also less rocky in this region. I’m not quite sure why that is compared to most other Pennsylvania trails, but i wasn’t complaining. After talking with Pap, he confirmed we would have to follow the trail to the street, hop the guard rail and walk up the road a short way if we wanted to pick up the Crow Trail and continue the loop. We took his advice and found our way. It was an absolutely beautiful day. The monarda was flowering in the meadows and it was full of butterflies. We also came upon a majestic larch plantation. It was a really nice hike. As the day went on, it started to warm up and the humidity began to rise. Luckily we were just about wrapping up our hike and ready to head home. It was a great day at Tuscarora State Park. I always enjoy coming here.
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Read MoreWe had a nice hike around Tuscarora State Park. We started from the Day Use area on the Lake View Trail heading east and clockwise around Tuscarora Lake. The trail looped along the edge of the north side of the lake until crossing over the dam and heading back into the woods. The views along the trail of the lake were quite nice. We then passed through open meadows and followed the Crow Trail to its terminus at the parking area. I had thought we might be able to make a loop around the lake, but I wasn’t quite sure of the route. I had a feeling we’d have to take the road, but decided to wait until I had better intel and come back another day. We made our way back the way we came and enjoyed the scenery from the opposite direction. I enjoyed the hike today and this is a lovely area with very few people. The terrain isn’t quite as rocky as further north so the walking wasn’t as tough on your feet. I really enjoy this area and will be back again to complete the loop.
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Read MoreToday we hiked in the Pinchot State Forest which is named for Gifford Pinchot who played a founding role in America’s conservation movement. The Pinchot State forest is approximately 50,000 acres and encompasses five different counties. There are many hiking trails within this forest, and today we barely scratched the surface with a short hike in the Thornhurst Track on the Pine Hill Trail. The Pine Hill Trail led us to a vista point where there’s a wooden observation tower. You can climb the stairs to the top and overlook some of the surrounding area which in the summer (as with most of Pennsylvania’s ‘views’) is mostly looking at the tops as trees. It was a very nice hike and I hope to explore more of this forest in the future, as there are many trails with a lot of miles to cover including the 26 mile Pinchot Trail loop which is a popular backpacking excursion.
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Read MoreIt was another hot and humid day in Pennsylvania. Despite the weather which I am not taking well to, I slathered myself in bug spray and set out on the Old Mill Trail at Nockamixon State Park. The previous evening had brought storms, and sections of the trail were covered in boot sucking mud. I’d gotten myself a pair of Keen Ridge Flex waterproof boots earlier in the year, and they are serving me well. At about .4 miles we arrived at a creek crossing where we boulder hopped over the water to continue along the trail. Along side the creek we spotted an impressive grouping of oyster mushrooms growing up the side of a tree. The trail took us through a forest of hardwoods and in and out of sunny areas of tall grass surrounded by lush, green vegetation. As we hiked, chorus of cicadas surrounded us. I saw a number of dragonflies and butterflies along the route as well. Somehow, we both managed to come off the trail without one tick hitching a ride. Lyme Disease is common in this state and you need to always check yourself for the creepy crawlies after hiking. We could have continued from Old Mill onto the Quarry Trail, but we were already at about 5 miles and I was more then ready to hit the shower. So we headed back and noted to return on a less hot/humid day to get in more mileage. I enjoyed my time exploring the trails here, and I’m looking forward to doing a night kayaking trip out on the lake during the next full moon.
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Read MoreWe spent 4th of July morning hiking the loop around Paradise Price Preserve. We were last here in March when the ground was just starting to thaw out from the long, cold winter. Now the forest was full of life; butterflies, toads, wildflowers, etc. We walked along the trail dodging the red efts that were scattered about the mud and rock debris. I saw a unique wildflower, Monotropa uniflora, also known as ghost plant or Indian pipe that could easily be mistaken for some type of mushroom. There were many other notable mushrooms along the path, but I’m still not up to par on my east coast flora. When we reached the first creek crossing, we discovered a new bridge that had been added. In fact, there were two new bridges built since the last time we hiked here making it easier then boulder hopping over the creek. This preserve is very well loved. Next, we came upon the use trail and followed it to the edge of Targa Falls where we stopped for a moment to take in the scenery. We could have continued further, but the day was warming up and we had other obligations. We cut the hike short by following a more direct route back to the trailhead making it about 5.5 miles. It was a nice morning to get outside and enjoy some nature before continuing with our plans for the day.
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Read MoreI’ve now spent an entire year hiking in Pennsylvania and can honestly say that the summer months are the absolute worst times to hike in this state. It’s hot, humid and bugs (mosquitoes and ticks) abound. That said, the scenery (lakes, woods, wildflowers) is lovely with plenty of active wildlife (bears, birds, butterflies, snakes, etc.) I will admit it hasn’t been easy trying to adjust from high peak mountains out west to low elevation, woodsy trails of Pennsylvania. I miss a good climb and being rewarded with incredible views. Also, the lack of elevation here means there is no escaping the heat of summer. But I digress. I’m making the best of it and learning to enjoy my surroundings and simply appreciate nature.
This past Sunday we hiked a familiar trail in the Delaware State Forest: Egypt Meadow Lake to the Bruce Lake Natural Area. We had snowshoed here in the winter and so it was nice to see such a dramatic change in scenery. I do love the obvious change of seasons here and seeing how different the trails look throughout the year.
Even though we were on the trail early today, the humidity was still pretty bad. There really is no escaping it. But we finished the hike before 11 am, just as the sun was starting to come out from the clouds and really warm things up. I was happy to get out and enjoy an early morning walk in the woods.
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Read MoreWe went back to Bear Creek Preserve today. Last time we were here we were snowshoeing and it was 19 degrees. Looks quite a bit different in the spring. Everything in Pennsylvania is a lush green now and the mountains are filled with blooming Mountain Laurel. We hiked from the main parking area off Rabbit Run following the red trail. It took us down a muddy, rocky service road that was under construction. As we reached a clearing to a power line, I saw a black bear meandering around the open field. We were far enough away to make our presence known by making noise and putting the bear whistle to use. As we did, the bear slowly headed away from our direction and disappeared into the field. We crossed the clearing and headed back into the woods. We then connected to the gray trail where we used the suspension bridge to cross over shades creek. We followed the trail passing in and out of rhododendron tunnels along side the creek enjoying its many cascades. We found the use trail that took us to a very small waterfall just off the main trail and stopped to enjoy the scenery. As we left the creekside, the trail took us back into the hardwoods and a blooming sea of Mountain Laurel. The day was cloudy, but it was beautiful nonetheless and a great day for a hike. I enjoyed seeing Bear Creek Preserve during the spring.
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